Care Experienced Week
This week marks Scotland’s first Care Experienced Week, providing a chance through a series of events to celebrate all those who have been in and left care.
We cannot underestimate the amazing contribution these individuals make to our society.
Not only the around 15,000 currently in care, but all those who have left.
The challenges many of them have faced is immense. Only six per cent of those who are care experienced go to university and nearly half will suffer mental health issues.
Half of the adult prison population are people who lived in care when they were growing up. Worst of all a young person who has been in care is 20 times more likely to be dead by the time they are 25 than a young person who hasn’t.
Every young person should have an equal opportunity to succeed in life, no matter their circumstances.
We should celebrate the progress that has been made that has allowed many of our young people who grow up in care to do great things in life.
As highlighted there are, however, still many challenges facing young people who are care experienced, and their opportunities are all too often not the same as other young people in Scotland.
The care system must and can do better by our most vulnerable children and young people.
We need to create a system that puts love for the children it cares for at its very heart. That is why the current independent review of Scotland’s care system is to be greatly welcomed.
So let us use this first Care Experienced Week to celebrate the achievements, not only of those who have had a positive care experience, but to shed a light on those who struggle, and use this to press for more support for these uniquely vulnerable individuals.
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition: Tom McGhee, Chairman,
Spark of Genius; Duncan Dunlop, Chief Executive, Who Cares? Scotland; Stuart Jacob, Director, Falkland House School;Niall Kelly, Managing Director, Young Foundations; Lynn Bell, CEO. Love Learning
Scotland. 4 Queen Street, Edinburgh. Clear out and help B HF Foundation (BHF) is calling on the nation to take on its Makeover Challenge by giving their homes a fresh new look using items bought at BHF stores.
From upcycling a pre-loved piece of furniture to refreshing a whole room or space, the BHF is encouraging interiors enthusiasts, bargain hunters and those on a budget to get involved.
Simply head to your nearest BHF home store in Scotland to find items that will give your home a seasonal update. Then share the new looks on social media with the #BoughtatBHF hashtag.
Offering furniture and electrical goods, new and used home wares and stylish homes accessories, every item sold in BHF stores helps to raise money to transform the lives of people living in the UK with heart disease, stroke, vascular dementia and diabetes.
Each year heart and circulatory diseases kill around 15,300 in Scotland and currently 685,000 people in the country are living with them.
It’s essential we continue to accelerate research into new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat these terrible conditions.
BHF furniture and home stores offer the perfect solution for students, first time buyers and savvy shoppers seeking affordable homeware, with sofas from £95 and wardrobes from £40. To find out more and for your nearest BHF store head to www.bhf.org.uk/makeover.